A land that could have done much better

KOTA KINABALU — Shortly after World War II, India was on the verge of gaining independence. For several decades prior, the Indian movement for independence led by Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated nonviolent disobedience, had been heavily suppressed by the British colonizers. However, after being ravaged by years of war in Europe and Asia, Britain no longer had the resolve to continue its colonial rule and was willing to grant India independence. But the question remained then: In what manner should Indian independence be achieved?

After all, India is a land endowed with diverse ethnic groups and cultures. Among the Hindu population, which constitutes a significant proportion of the country's population, some believed that post-independence India should prioritize Hinduism while excluding other religions. This caused considerable concern among Indians who practiced other faiths. Muslims, who also made up a large portion of the population, were particularly eager to live in a nation where Islam was the dominant religion.